Spring Blooms When I'm With You

Knock! Knock!

"Come in," Ren said without lifting his head from his table. Matsuzaki would meet him first before knocking off work so he expected it was his special a.s.sistant.

He was tidying his things when he heard the faint sound of footsteps stepping inside the office. It was different from Matsuzaki"s heavy ones. He raised up his head. His pupils dilated and a hint of pleasant surprise tinged in his eyes once he saw who was standing before him.
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His lips curved up into a fond smile.

"Sweetheart, you"re here?"

Tsubaki didn"t immediately walk toward her husband. She just quietly stood on her current spot, her back was facing the closed door. Her eyes gleamed with mischief when she quietly stared at him with her lips blooming into a soft smile.

"I come to pick Mr. Fuse up, is he here?" Tsubaki held back her laugh as she said it.

Ren shook his head helplessly, his entire face emitted tenderness. Without answering her, he took steady steps toward the young lady standing next to the doors. His long arms pulled her into his embrace, he rested one side of his face against her soft hair.

"He is here, waiting for Mrs. Fuse to bring him home," He answered with a smile.

Tsubaki let out a giggle. She quickly returned his hug. She was practically jumping when she wrapped her hands around his waist. "I missed you! I can"t wait to see you so I asked Kaede to bring me here."

"You"re so good, sweetheart," Ren breathed in the scent of her hair. He felt like his fatigue dissipated once he felt the warmth of her entire person within his arms. "I really want to see you as soon as possible."

The husband and wife remained in the same position without showing any sign of letting go. Ren patiently ran his hand up and down the curve of her back. Tsubaki calmed her heart by silently listening to his heartbeats. Both of them were seeking comfort with each other presence.

"Sweetheart, do you have something you want to tell me?" Ren said after a long time. He pulled away slightly from her yet both of his hands were still on her shoulders. He peered deep into her eyes, as expected, there was a turmoil of hidden emotions in them. "Are you alright?"

Tsubaki hooked up a smile yet Ren saw how it didn"t seem as bright as usual.

Something was bothering his wife.

"Actually, I dreamed of something," Tsubaki slowly opened up to him. She had kept it inside her heart and waited to pour it out when he was with her. At least, with him by her side, she would feel safe. "I think... I dreamed of that night. When I was waiting for you outside the local cinema."

"What?" Ren was caught off guard. He didn"t expect her to say something like that.

Once he regained his composure, Ren brought Tsubaki to sit on the couch. Under his care, Tsubaki quietly started telling him what she saw in her dreams. Even though his expression didn"t charge much, Tsubaki still could detect the stiffness of his face as he heard her story.

"Darling, do you think I"m starting to regain my memories?" Tsubaki asked in uncertainty. Her doe eyes were looking at his dark gaze. Both of her hands were clasping the front of his shirt, they were trembling slightly.

Ren watched her in silence. He didn"t immediately answer her yet his hands were as firm as ever when he placed them around her waist. In a moment, he nodded then said in a heavy voice, "They would bring you pain but I know it"s better for you to remember them again instead of living with a void inside your mind."

"En..."

Tsubaki understood what he meant. She had been living with countless questions filling her mind since she realized she had lost an entire worth of memory 5 years ago. During her sleepless nights, she couldn"t help but wonder what had happened that year. No one told her anything, even Satsuki.

After she met him again, she finally understood.

They didn"t want her to remember that she had lost someone so dear to her.

"Darling," Tsubaki hung up a sad smile, she raised one of her hands and placed her palm on his cheek. This man was so good to her. He had even said he wouldn"t force her to be with him if she still couldn"t fall in love with him even after a year. That was his promise.

But, how could her heart wasn"t touched by a man as good as him?

In these few short months, he had proved to her time and again how important he placed her in his heart. He had never once forced himself on her, threatening her to accept him. He had showered her with the love and care she hadn"t experience since the death of her parents.

In the quiet office, she added, her eyes were still on his as they twinkled with gentleness, "I am in love with you."

Ren"s eyelashes fluttered. He was baffled by the sudden confession.

This one was different from the sweet words she had always whispered to him. Her confession this time was weighted with something that he couldn"t point out. It was filled with the utmost warmth, thawing his freezing cold heart.

Ren silently leaned over her and claimed her lips with his. He tightened his arms around her.

The husband and wife went to a restaurant near Fuse Corporation. Since it was already late, Ren suggested them eating out instead of cooking for themselves. Tsubaki readily agreed since she wasn"t in the mood to cook. Although her husband would prepare their dinner if she said a word of it, she wanted him to take a rest tonight.

It was okay since she still could eat breakfast cooked by him tomorrow.

The restaurant of Ren"s choosing was a traditional j.a.panese one. A waitress dressed in a kimono escorted them to a private dining room overlooking the garden surrounding the restaurant. Tsubaki smiled when she saw a clear stream built in the garden. Sometimes, dried leaves of summer would flow alongside the water.

Under the moonlight, the entire garden appeared ethereal.

Besides built-in cabinets and decorations, a low wooden table and sitting cushions were placed in the middle of the room. Instead of sitting while facing each other, the couple sat side by side. They were waiting for their dishes to be served.

"Were you alright when you"re in the bakery earlier?" Ren lowered down his gaze, he looked at her flat tummy. Their little bean was slowly growing inside her womb and he hoped both the mother and child would be healthy. "You said Baby didn"t cause you any worry, it that right?"

"Yes~" Tsubaki giggled happily. She placed both of her palms on her lower abdomen. "Baby is so good today. I was just slightly tired but that"s all."

"Good," Ren smiled in relief. He lightly patted her head. "I"m afraid you were nauseous again."

Tsubaki returned his smile. She wrapped her hands around one of his arms and leaned her head on his shoulder. There was no doubt that she was tired yet she was happy and content at this moment. The nightmare that disturbed her earlier had faded from her mind.

The upcoming days came and went smoothly. Tsubaki would still occasionally woke up in the crack of dawn due to her morning sickness yet under her husband"s care, the helplessness and fear that she felt before slowly dissipated. She had learned to rely on him more during this period.

Grandma would always send nutritious food from the old house as well as the updates of their wedding preparation. Tsubaki and Ren were still partic.i.p.ating in the preparations but with Grandma and Aunt Kasumi"s help, they didn"t have much to worry about.

To be exact, Tsubaki didn"t have time to think of anything negative.

One night, before they went to bed she had once asked her husband, "Do you have anything new about my past?"

Ren just cuddled her to sleep and replied, "For this period of time, let"s focus more on your pregnancy. I do not want anything to affect your mood."

As she sensed the worry in his voice, Tsubaki agreed. So, she decided to push it to the back of her mind until the right time came. More so when she noticed her husband had grown busier day by day. Although he would always accompanied her to sleep and helped her going through her morning sickness, Tsubaki knew he would slip out of the bed and returned to his study whenever he thought she had fallen asleep.

As time pa.s.sed by, she was already in her 8th week of pregnancy. Her belly had even protruded a bit, showing the little life growing inside her but it was still barely noticeable.

"Morning, sweetheart," Ren pulled her close and kissed her lips once the new morning came. The minty scent of his aftershave wafted in the air. After kissing her, he bent down and looked at her belly with a smile. "And good morning to you too, Baby."

Tsubaki smiled sweetly as he kissed her tummy. He had started talking to their child even though it was still early. She found it so adorable.

"I have an important job tonight," Ren placed a bowl of rice in front of his wife before he took a seat opposite hers. "I might come home late. Why don"t you head to the old house first? Tomorrow is the weekend, we could spend some time with Grandma."

"Alright," Tsubaki nodded without much thought. The last time they met Grandma was two weeks ago. Even though she would always call the old house to chat with Grandma, she knew the old lady was lonely. "I"ll go to the old house first. Don"t be too late, darling."

Ren answered with a smile. His wife didn"t notice the conflict in his eyes.

After sending Tsubaki to the bakery, Ren didn"t immediately drive to the company. He made a U-turn and headed to another part of the city. In a hidden old coffee house, he met Nagao Yuuto who was sitting at a corner.

"You"re here, Mr. Fuse," Nagao Yuuto nodded slightly as a form of greeting. "Do you fancy a cup of coffee?"

"Yes, thank you," Ren replied briefly as he pulled out a chair before he sat down.

There were not many people inside the coffee house. The two men sat in silence while waiting for Ren"s coffee to arrive. After he thanked the waiter, Ren returned his gaze on the younger man"s face. He appeared haggard compared to the last time they met.

"You must be taking some time off right now, right?" Ren lifted up the cup to his lips. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee spread in the air. He knew how demanding Nagao Yuuto"s job was even though the pay was still small.

"Yes." Nagao Yuuto nodded without explaining anything. He took something out from his pocket and put it on the round table. It was a small paper bag. He slowly pushed the paper bag toward Ren"s direction. "It"s the necklace. I"m sorry if I took a long time."

Ren placed his cup down. He reached out for the paper bag. Through the thin layer of paper, his fingers touch a delicate chain and a pendant. Without looking inside the paper bag, he secured it inside his jacket pocket.

"It"s okay. I understood."

Once Nagao Yuuto sent him the address of the p.a.w.nshop a few weeks back, Ren offered his help to pay the remaining fees of the necklace since it hadn"t been sold to anyone yet the younger man refused his help. He wanted to save up enough money by himself considering the necklace was his late wife"s belonging. Ren didn"t pressure him even though he was in a haste to see the necklace.

Nagao Yuuto treasured Hinata so much.

After finishing his coffee, Ren fished out something from his wallet. It was a sealed envelope. Sensing Nagao Yuuto"s confused gaze, he calmly explained.

"I want to offer you a job at my company. I know you"re a skilled technician but your fate isn"t good, forcing you to work far from your family. Come to my company and show this interview letter to the HR manager."

"This... Mr. Fuse..." Nagao Yuuto was baffled. He wanted to reject the offer yet before he could say anything Ren added.

"I"m not using my position to hire you. Since there is an opening at this moment, why don"t you take the opportunity to go for it? The HR manager would be the one interviewing you alongside a few other officials. The benefits for the employees of Fuse Corp are plenty and even extend to the family members. You won"t be losing out anything."

"But..."

"Only a fool would reject such an opportunity, Mr. Nagao," Ren"s voice was still calm and unhurried despite the younger man"s growing nervousness. He slowly stood up from his seat. "Kouichi would love to have his father by his side all year round."

Nagao Yuuto swallowed down his protests once the image of his beloved son entered his mind. Even though he wasn"t close to this formidable man, he at least understood Fuse Ren was a pragmatic person.

As this man had said, he was just presenting him with a rare opportunity. Whether he succeeded or not, he needed to convince the officials involved with his own skills.

And the idea of being close to his family tempted him.

"I thank you for this opportunity," Nagao Yuuto stood up and bowed in grat.i.tude. "I"ll show you that I"m worthy of your trust."

Ren smiled faintly. Before he left, he patted the man"s back, offering comfort.